These are a few of my favorite things- Pantry Shopping : Jawns I Cooked

Pantry Staples to make throwing dinner together a breeze

This site contains affiliate links to products. We may receive a commission for purchases made through these links.

Let me start off by saying that while I love, love, love to cook, I despise the supermarket. The lines, the rude shoppers, and the endless waiting around the meat counter test my patience beyond it’s limits (which, if I’m being honest- I have no patience).

That being said, even having tried online grocery delivery apps like Fresh Direct and Instacart, I still think it’s best to select your own meats, fruits and veggies, and check the expiry labels. I do, however, love to utilize Target’s free shipping over $35 to get great pantry items in a hurry, or Amazon Prime Pantry if I’ve got some time to wait.

Some people don’t mind running out for this and that here and there, but I am not one of those people. I find solace in knowing have a well-stocked kitchen because I love pantry shopping- and can always pull together a dinner on the fly (although, sometimes I still just order a pizza). With everyone’s lives being s hectic all the time and people barely having time to sit down, I feel it’s more important now than every to appreciate the value of learning to shop well and stock a pantry well so that you’re always able to pull something together even when “there’s no food in the house.”

Below is a list of items I like to look for while pantry shopping, and how to utilize them to create simple, home cooked meals in a flash, and (bonus) make your grocery store trips less frequent.

My Pantry Staples:

Canned/Tinned:

Keeping these staple items on hand makes throwing together a quick meal you just found on Pinterest that much easier. These items are common building blocks in a variety of recipes, or add ins that pump up flavor with minimal effort. You could make a sauce, stew or soup with a lot of these as the base, while some are just no-brainer convenience foods for when hanger strikes (see PB&J).

Tomato Sauce
Crushed Tomatoes
Tomato Paste
Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes
Canned Beans (Black Beans, Cannellini, Pinto, Chickpeas)
Chipotles in Adobo Sauce
Jarred Salsa Verde
Canned Tuna in water
Jarred or canned artichoke hearts
Chicken stock
Diced Green Chilis
Jarred Pesto
Jarred pickled items (peppers, pickles, olives, etc)
Peanut Butter
Grape Jelly
Panko Breadcrumbs

Boxed/Packaged:

Packaged pasta and grains have and incredibly long shelf life, so I keep a variety on hand at all times. With these staples, you can easily throw together a quick pasta dish, a soup, a stir fry, or just a flavorful grain side.

Various shaped pastas
White Rice
Brown Rice
Lentils
Quinoa
Barley
Farro

Baking:

These bare-minimum baking basic essentials can help you throw together a quick banana bread, pizza dough, or even act as an aid in thickening sauces and stews.

Sugar
Flour
Baking Soda
Baking Powder
Cornstarch
Brown Sugar
Active Dry Yeast Packets
Yellow Cornmeal

Fats, Acids and Condiments to grab while pantry shopping:

This little list is probably my favorite. While I have mad love for fat and acid and the magic they bring to the table, literally, I may have a condiment problem. But anyway- these items aid in perfect sears, crisp frying, perfect baking and add that little extra zing to your dish, whether it be tuna salad or the perfect Pad Thai.

Olive Oil
Canola Oil
Toasted Sesame Oil
Cooking Spray
Various Vinegars (Red Wine, Rice Wine, Apple Cider Vinegar)
Peanut Butter
Balsamic Glaze
Soy Sauce
Sriracha
Hot Sauce (Such as Franks or Tabasco)
Mustard (Yellow, Dijon)
Ketchup
Relish
Horseradish
Fish Sauce
Sweet Chili Sauce
Worcestershire Sauce
Harissa
Mayo

Additional items I like to keep on hand:

Perishable/Refrigerated Items to consider while pantry shopping:

While these are not technically part of a literal “pantry,” these are items that I am always thrilled that I have on hand, and that I definitely feel if they are not present. Like the tinned and jarred items, these are super well rounded and multi-purpose and are present in a ton of recipes.

Unsalted Butter
Milk
Eggs
Corn Tortillas
Grated Parmesan Cheese
Eggs
Sour Cream
Bread (Sourdough and Marble Rye)
Onions
Garlic
Sweet Potatoes
Cheddar Cheese

Basic Pantry Shopping: Building Block Spices:

My love of spices knows no bounds (my cupboard and my giant hand-crafted spice rack are both full, but still- no bounds). This list is of spices I think every cook needs. These are super well rounded and will carry you through a ton of recipes.

Chicken & Beef Bullion Packets
Kitchen Bouquet (Liquid Gravy Enhancer)
Garlic Powder
Onion Powder
Salt (Coarse and Table)
Peppercorns
Basil
Oregano
Cayenne
Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
Thyme
Ground Cinnamon
Whole Nutmeg
Cumin
Chili Powder
Paprika
Dry Mustard
Dill
Ginger
Old Bay
Sage
Rosemary
Poultry Seasoning
Curry Powder
Bay Leaves

Next Level Spices

Have I told you lately that I love you, spice rack? This is a list of some of the spices I have acquired over time that I now can’t live without, with a little explanation on the WHY for each:

Columbia Seasoning: A spice mixture my boyfriend’s dad brought back for us from a trip to Florida, this garlicky delight is great in everything from fish, to sweet potato hash, and we even sprinkle it on pizza.
21 Seasoning Salute: Trader Joe’s, I salute you. Please never stop making this perfectly balanced spice mixture that’s savory and vibrant, and great on everything from baked chicken to white bean dip.
Mushroom Spice: A new addition at Trader Joe’s, this umami-packed spice is great for amping up mushroom heavy dishes, or just for adding a little more depth to beef or lamb dishes.
Ground Coriander: A zesty, floral spice that’s great in Middle Eastern and Indian dishes.
Gumbo File: A must have for great Gumbo.
New Orleans Cooking School Spice: Another must have for gumbo and various creole dishes. Also great for a Crab boil.
Turmeric, Garam Masala, Madras Curry: Pronounced, earthy spices that are great in Indian dishes.
Poppy Seeds: Will put you to sleep. But really, I love it in my Country Coleslaw and Chicken Salad with Grapes and Walnuts, and it’s also great in salad dressings and lemon desserts.
Celery Seeds: The “salad” queen. I add it to Country Slaw, Tuna Salad, Chicken Salad and Macaroni Salad.
Caraway Seeds: I really only use these in my Sauerkraut with Bacon and Onion for my Rueben Egg Rolls, but it’s so important I always keep it around.
Toasted Sesame Seeds: Great to top Seared Tuna, Roasted Asparagus or Stir fry dishes for a little kick of nutty flavor and crunch.
Hungarian Paprika: Sweeter in favor than your standard paprika, I use this spice when making traditional Hungarian foods like Chicken Paprikash, or when I want a more nuanced paprika flavor.
Tarragon: Lovely in chicken salad, baked salmon, or in some potato dishes.
Saffron: Expensive, but great in Paella or used to flavor some rice dishes.
Cardamom: Great for Indian and Middle Eastern dishes, some baked goods, and Mexican Hot Chocolate.
Sazon: A bright orange Puerto Rican spice blend I love to use to spice up boring chicken salad.

For dinner ideas, visit my dinners page!

© Jawns I Cooked. All images & content are the sole property of Jawns I Cooked. Please ask permission prior to using my photos. If you would like to share one of my recipes, please link back to this post and re-write the instructions in your own words.